Anger is taboo in this society. We do not understand anger, we are terrified of the damaging effects of anger, and we have been conditioned by Empire to think that there is no place for anger in our “civilized” discourse. We are not allowed to communicate anger, and at the farthest end of the continuum we are penalized, criminalized even, for daring to express anger. When anger does arise, the societal agreement is that we are supposed to be able to control the expression of it, and that this choice is fully under our control. Yet, beyond those who seem to be “born angry” and have a dysfunctional vendetta against the world, or those who use anger to buttress their ego issues, the anger of most functioning human beings is a justified response. In most cases, we could even say that anger is a mark of authenticity, and if one’s moral code or sense of right and wrong is offended, anger is the result. In fact, how would we even know if someone genuinely cared or had a stake in an issue, unless they got angry?

To speak of how anger is perceived in our society is to be influenced by western thinking, and it is not rational to apply those same values to other groups. Societal taboos may be grudgingly accepted by whitestream folk, but what about non-western peoples? Often the oppressed (the so-called “racialized minorities”) live with excruciating anger every day of their lives, because of the racism, microaggressions, and human rights violations directed toward them. How can being treated “less than” or deemed inferior NOT create anger, when one knows to the bottom of one's heart, mind and soul that they are entitled to the same respect and benefits as everyone else? As privileged members of the dominant society, relinquishing our “white lens” means we admit moral absolutism does not exist, and that anger cannotbe penalized across-the-board. As a concrete example, the family and community members of the many Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women in Canada continue to storm the gates of the government for answers every day of their lives. How do we judge that kind of anger, or make it taboo, or tell them that they need to find respectable outlets for their rage?

While not diminishing the anger of marginalized groups, anger is definitely a liberatory power across the intersectional oppressions, and with certain social justice actions, well-directed and finely-honed anger (the “rage against the machine”) is our most effective strategy. Even the best work in critical thought today is a distillation of acute anger, and for the revolution of the future, we must make space for the transformative power of anger to come through. Anger that translates into passion is a powerful tool for communication! We also need to dismantle the double standard that allows “angry men” to be heard and honored, while “angry women” are diminished and labelled “delusional” or “overly emotional.” There is so much to be angry about!

On a personal scale and in our day-to-day relationships, dealing with the anger of others is an issue that touches all of our lives. For progressive white folks engaged in allyship with First Nations, we may find ourselves on the receiving end of anger from First Nations acquaintances and community members. And yet the ability to sit with the anger of others is crucial to mending the fractured colonizer/colonized relationship, and for reversing the effects of white supremacy and racism that FN continue to experience. As much as possible, the best response is patience, compassion and equanimity, and to understand the arising of FN anger by turning the tables and imagining ourselves the targets of devastating cultural and individual genocide. What would our lived reality be like? How any Settler would expect that those who have been murdered, marginalized, criminalized, driven off the land, experimented on, ignored and oppressed not to harbour anger and negative feelings toward the oppressor is complete nonsense, and the repudiation of these honest feelings continues to perpetuate the racist agenda of the overculture and the invisibility of whiteness.

detail, mixed media by Pegi Eyers "Descent II: Fire"

An essential part of our learning curve and anti-colonization process as Settlers is to listen carefully to the emotional honesty of First Nations activists, thought leaders, Elders and community peoples. It is NOT the responsibility of the oppressed to educate the oppressor (as Settlers we need to do our own “heavy lifting”), but when interacting with the authentic voices of FN in social justice solidarity spaces, we must understand that we can be called out on our mistakes. Sometimes the words will be communicated in anger, yet there is a chance we may actually learn more from this kind of authenticity than being coddled or subject to the “love voice.”

During the first two years of Idle No More I experienced being "called out" when engaged with the movement in person and on social media, as my mistakes were noted and commented on, and none too kindly either. Somehow I was able to move past my emotional response to the anger, and to deeply analyze exactly what the FN person was telling me. It may not be the same for everyone, but I truly believe that I learned faster and much more effectively from the anger-tinged interactions, and overall I am incredibly grateful for the “tough love” I received. Today I make fewer mistakes, yet when I am “called out” or “checked” I continue to use these exchanges as a learning opportunity.

Unfortunately many of us in the Settler Society, at the first hint of anger, block out the voices of people of colour and indulge in the nefarious practices of white fragility by “tone policing” or “blaming the victim.” Yet considering the history of Settler-Colonialism in the Americas, we do not get to judge First Nations, or tell them how to behave. As I was able to do, we need to be open to the anger as a learning tool and not take anger personally, as we move on to the next level. Overall, the role of the ally is to lighten the burden of the POC, not add to it by silencing, arguing, or shaming. An ally should listen and learn, support the actions of the oppressed group, and keep their "own baggage” to a minimum.

Plainly put, we need to reverse the white privilege of “sucking the air out of the room” with our own ideas, demands and emotional life. These bad habits actually reinforce white comfort and keep us stuck in a bubble of safety, and in the long run, end up diminishing the overall anti-oppression and anti-racism movements. Our inability to address our own societal conditioning and false belief systems, just re-centers whiteness all over again. For once, it’s not about us! As allies we need to be engaged with addressing the outrageous threats and challenges facing POC by taking responsibility, being accountable, decolonizing our thinking, and making changes to oppressive power structures.

detail, mixed media by Pegi Eyers "Descent II: Fire"

Yet even in the face of these “tried and true” ally guidelines, and regardless of blowback, I continue to struggle with certain aspects of the "anger conversation." I have personally been subject to the far end of the anger continuum from a First Nations person, including relentless verbal, emotional and psychological abuse, as well as public insults and severe bullying. If it is generally agreed that the ally is supposed to continue to defer and retain equanimity in the face of acute lateral violence, then in one particular situation I failed the test. Unfortunately I discovered that my ability to deflect anger, and my powers of tolerance, compassion and understanding had a breaking point.

As I closed off and walked away from the situation, I was left with lingering doubts, and questions about the effectiveness of Ally Theory. For example, at what point does the responsibility to one’s own human dignity kick in? Should an ally participate in an abusive situation to the point of martyrdom? Is this level of personal self-abrogation even possible? And even though we are aware of the history of oppression, is our responsibility to our own psychological health the greater force? In my own case I was able to move away from the person but not the work. Yet faced with extreme anger I can see how others may remove themselves from solidarity spaces altogether. Being an ally with a heavy heart is not a process anyone can continue in the long run. I have not been able to come to a definitive conclusion about this aspect of Ally Theory, but I am extremely grateful for the various opinions and responses from both activists and POC, who struggle with the same issues.

White activist, academic and early supporter of Idle No More, Tobold Rollo has identified that both the deference and dominant aspect of the Settler-Ally dynamic are two sides of the same privileged coin. Both deference and dominance allow allies to “recline at ease” in their privilege, and allow us to avoid any risk involved in critical engagement. “The strategy of renouncing one’s agency and deferring accountability is itself an egregious exercise of privilege, not to mention an insult to marginalized groups who continue to have their own agency distorted or denied. The luxury of suspending critical thinking and judgement, given that the groups to which we are committed still struggle against the institutional suppression of their critical capacities, is a slight against them. In short, inverting a personal structure of dominance to produce a structure of deference is just another patronizing failure to treat members of the marginalized group as full human beings.”

In Ethos of the Ally: Deference, Dialogue, and Distance Rollo makes the case that treating each other as full human beings through respectful disagreement will highlight the mutual worth of all people. The marginalized group or person is neither above, nor below, the ally’s critical thinking process and expression as rooted in their own lived experience. In short, disagreements can be a healthy precursor to mutual understanding, and exchanges based on realistic thoughts and feelings reinforce the authentic diversity that we need, as opposed to the homogeneity of silence and non-engagement.

detail, mixed media by Pegi Eyers "Descent II: Fire"

Yet by their very nature disagreements are stressful, and add another layer of trauma for POC to carry. And for both Settlers and First Nations folks forced to navigate in colonial spaces, it is easy to slip back into the white habits of conversation such as competition and ad hominem attacks. This is not to say that respectful dialogue cannot happen, but perhaps the default in POC spaces should remain at the level of deference? And regardless of the conflict that may (or may not) happen, allies carry on our work autonomously, often in private rather than public spaces. Our top priority is to actively and vocally oppose colonialism, patriarchy, racism, and the intersectional oppressions on principle because they are WRONG, not because POC are engaging us in conversation, or are monitoring us, or are giving us their stamp of approval.

It is helpful to remember that those experiencing oppression may communicate their truth with raw emotion, yet we don't have to receive it as a personal hit. Many POC have stated that their anger is NOT aimed at individual white folks, but at the entire system of systemic inequality. This is why we must not shy away from the anger conversation, and continue to focus on our goals. The bottom line is that anti-oppression and anti-racism movements are just and ethical efforts to regain basic human rights, and anyone with a conscience or moral compass can support these progressive actions.

As for my own activism, I continue to remind myself that the anger is not about me, and to make an effort to set aside my habitual responses of self-absorption, defensiveness and/or retaliation. Instead of focusing on my own emotions or biases, I can consider what would diffuse the anger in the other person's life. What work can I do, that will not add more of a burden to what the person already carries? Without a doubt, the only person I have any control over in this world is myself. And when faced with anger, it may take more equilibrium than I claim to own, more steely nerves than I admit to having, and more self-denial than I am used to offering to the other person. Yet there is a greater issue at stake. I must lay down the dysfunctions of anger and divisiveness that are the weapons of colonization, and make every effort not to perpetuate the imbalance and dominance that has given me the benefits I enjoy today as a white person.

And at the very least, I have a duty to listen, remain focused on the principles involved, and be humble if I am to remain focused on anti-racism and anti-oppression work. And to adhere to the principles of Allyship, which offer an excellent structure for Settler-Allies to follow in our bridge-building, interactions and solidarity networks. There is so much we can do on our own, such as deconstructing white privilege both within and without, dismantling white supremacy, and communicating these actions to other white folks. As I have discovered, we can continue to make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. And at the same time that we accept the useful aspects of anger, we can develop the empathy that allows us to appreciate the lives of others and expand our potential for compassion. Instead of focusing on our own selfish needs, shifting to thoughts and actions that protect the well-being of First Nations, making and holding connections, bonding through community, and deep loyalty to each other and the cause, can shift paradigms.

Anger may be taboo. But outrage is outrage. No longer will we accept the conditioning we have received from Empire to keep our anger repressed, as we reject the dictum "a placid population is a controlled population." Centuries of oppression, discrimination, racism, microaggressions and treatment as “less-than” dictates no other response but rage. For privileged white folks, denying our own anger, and the anger of oppressed groups, is dishonest, as well as reckless and irresponsible. In all its fearful, dark, liberatory and healing variations, anger IS the correct response to all that is wrong in the world.

As kat yang-stevens, a person of colour, tells us, “Yes. I am angry. Many, MANY, of us are angry. I will not hide my anger, grit my teeth, or bite my tongue. I will not silence myself or others to spare the hurt feelings, or guilt, or confusion, or tears, of privileged white people who fail to take even basic steps towards understanding our oppressions. Anger is an appropriate reaction to the rampant perpetuation of often invisibilized forms of racism and oppression. Anger is an appropriate reaction to the privileged gatekeepers of funding, resources, and power, when they fail to identify and challenge their understandings of our oppressions and their inherent complicity in perpetuating them.

Anger is appropriate when the earth is commodified for the capitalist agenda, which is part of ongoing colonialism and the genocide of indigenous peoples and people of color worldwide. Anger is appropriate when those with the most power in what they like to refer to as “our” movement - a movement that claims to want to stop the destruction of the earth - fail to invest in the painstaking, difficult, and lifelong work to truly act towards solidarity with the struggles of Native, Black, and other migrant/diasporic/settler people of color, we who are the most affected by climate change and the industries and systems that are causing it. We are all born into a society that grants us power in some ways and marginalizes us in other ways. It is how we all hold our privileges and power, and whether we hold them with integrity, that is at question here. What each person does with their privilege is up to them.”

﻿﻿Just in case you need a reminder, the world as we know it (let's call it the nation-states of the USA and Canada) were created and founded in the Americas by a cadre of white European men, and the Empire-building project was driven by patriarchal values. There is no escaping this reality (!) and as much as it has been forgotten, veiled, tabooed, conflated, misinterpreted, normalized, and "forgiven" because of (you guessed it!) conspiracy theories, the European patriarchs established our worldview and the forward "thrust" of our civilization. ﻿﻿

Do You See Any Women or People of Colour in This Picture??

During the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment in the 18th century, racial "science" (so-called) was developed, and the later creation of "eugenics" allowed for the perceived superiority of the male European demagogue (mostly Anglophone) within political, military, religious, economic and legal structures. This new model of racial hierarchy was the perfect justification for global imperialism, genocide and slavery, and for colonizing the “New World.” With no ethical or moral reservations whatsoever, entire African nations and Turtle Island indigenous societies were enslaved or simply wiped out in the imperialist project, with the goal being to bring people and their lands under “civilized” control. The prevailing Settler-Colonial meme of the day was “we are the superior race of Anglo Saxons. It’s only to the benefit of everyone if we people the entire hemisphere.” (Noam Chomsky)

Do You See Any Women or People of Colour in This Picture??

As for the (so-called) "weaker sex," in the total supremacy of a “man’s world” white women were the passive and suffering victims of Empire, or the supporting cast and game players who internalized the values of the patriarchy and were complicit with the colonial directive. Until the flowering of first-wave feminism with the suffragettes in the late 19th century, European women were owned, dominated, controlled, and victimized by the patriarchy for millennia.

White men have monopolized our ethnosphere and the ecosphere for eons, and with the highest v﻿alue being placed on white male wealth and power, everyone in the Americas continues to be affected by the kyriarchy of intersectional oppressions (race, gender, wealth/class, sexual orientation and ableism). Even the land itself, and the many elements and creatures in nature have been ravaged and oppressed by patriarchal ideology ("speciesism"). The patriarchal founders and robber barons of Em﻿pire, the rich, entitled, rapacious, racist, misogynist, warlord, bible-thumping, immoral and power-mad white men and their policies have imposed their will on our bodies, minds and souls, and have dictated the destruction of our world. And we need to object!

Male Pride & Power ~ Projectiles, Phalluses & Upright Pillars

Of course, monumental cracks are appearing in the patriarchal façade, as advances in human rights, indigenous decolonization and the rise of women's empowerment continue to resist white male supremacy and the normative hetero-patriarchal hegemony. Movements everywhere are rejecting and standing up to Empire, with its toxic legacy of manipulation, fear-mongering, economic traps, silencing, brainwashing and lateral violence. With all of the connective and educational tools available to us today, the colonial legacy of domination, racial stratification, eco-fascism and oligarchy is becoming less and less tenable, and millions of us are waking up to the impossibility of continuing to believe in these imperialist lies.

As activists everywhere continue to engage with social justice, we are guided by ally theory (or allyship) that offers meaning and protocol for acting in solidarity with marginalized groups, people of colour, women, those living in poverty, the disabled and the LBGT community. As we take responsibility for our many privileges and step up our co-resistance, we are in agreement that equity comes before equality, and that placing ourselves behind those in a subordinate position will propel the most oppressed forward, and is the only way to affect change. And as we expand our anti-racism work we encounter important guidelines, and begin to see that "since racism was created by our white ancestors, it is the white majority, not people of colour, that need to dismantle it." How can it be otherwise? Any other conclusion would continue to perpetuate the goals of Empire. It is white people, not any other group, that must take responsibility for the disaster created by the white supremacist founding and maintenance of the Americas, to eliminate racism and the intersectional oppressions, and to create the conditions in which equality is the outcome of equity, and tolerance can unfold for all.

If we take this guideline up a notch to the next logical level, in the same way that white people are responsible for ending racism, we must then conclude that men are responsible for ending the patriarchy. If our new meme follows that "since white men created Empire, it is up to white men to undo it" then I have a great suggestion. Why don’t privileged European/Anglo-Saxon/Germanic white men spend their days undoing the destruction their patriarchal forefathers (the government agents, religious zealots, "scientists," masters of industry and robber barons) perpetuated against women, people of colour and the pristine ecosystems of the Americas? With no more excuses, sidetracking, stonewalling, moves to innocence, denial, derailment, hand-wringing, guilt, whining, or pleading, this work can begin right now. Men have the ability to interrogate, interrupt and halt the white man worship of each other and Empire - the resource extraction, power-tripping, luxury-sucking, money collection worldview - and get on with what really matters, which is health, equity and equality for all human beings, and sovereignty for the other-than-human world.

Jackson Katz

Howard Zinn

Robert Jenson, painting by Robert Shetterly

Russell Brand

Michael Moore

Derrick Jensen, painting by Robert Shetterly

Noam Chomsky

Tim Wise

George Monbiot

Chris Hedges, painting by Robert Shetterly

Undoing the Damage ~ Male Effectiveness in Anti-Patriarchal Action

There are many progressive, enlightened, radicalized and decolonized men who are already working hard to undo the destructive legacy of their white supremacist forefathers in academia, social justice, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-capitalism, the anti-civilization movement, environmental activism and “apocalyptic studies.” Yet the time has come for white men in EVERY WALK OF LIFE to challenge the dominant paradigm, to embrace karmic justice, to undo the intersectional oppressions, to take responsibility for the fact that the Americas were created with an agenda of genocide, slavery, ethnic cleansing and stolen land, and in these times of massive change, to lead the transition toward localized ecologically-based communities. If this generation of able-bodied white men don't engage with the paradigm shift, then who will, and when? There really is no other activity worth pursuing. Yet many activists and feminists would argue (and with good reason) that men will NEVER step up to dismantle the patriarchy that has given them so much privilege and entitlement. But just because their relinquishment of the power paradigm seems an impossible dream, doesn't make the responsibility for them to do so any less factual (or urgent).

ATTENTION: MEN OF THE AMERICAS ~ feel free to step up and take on this important and sacred work, as this is YOUR TIME! Kindly right the wrongs of history, clean up the mess your fatherlines bequeathed us from their greedy “Kings and Conquerors” rampage, and fulfill your true destiny. The planet is at stake, and in these historic times, can there be any higher cause that would ensure full liberation for both men and women, all beings, and our entire Earth Community??